Welcome back Grossmont Griffins! A new semester welcomes us with open arms and minds. Getting back into gear can be tough for some students, especially when having such a long break off and indulging in extreme relaxation. The campus is filled with many studious young adults hoping to build their futures, and the school is booming with helpful resources. That should help Grossmont students like Dallus Lanz, who said, “My goal for this semester is to finally buckle down and apply for a transfer to a CSU, and I plan to achieve my goal by consistently working.”

Here are some tips to stay motivated throughout the rest of the semester:

Take one thing at a time.

The worst mistake students can make is putting off their work, or trying to complete too much at once. Take the time this semester to plan ahead and pick certain times to do certain assignments. It is essential to break up work evenly to cut out stress.

Get some rest.

There is a fine line between taking a nap during class and getting the appropriate rest while at home.

Don’t be that kid falling asleep in class this semester; do the right thing by not staying out at all hours of the night and by getting the essential eight hours a sleep a night during the weekdays. The weekend is a different story.

Put down the phone

Erase the text, tweet, hashtag, like, reblog or email. Put that cell phone down during class— and throw it to the bottom of your backpack or purse. When class starts to get boring, the first thing students tend to do is check their social media. Once there, that endless scrolling could send you completely off track and make you miss out on vital information during class.

Grossmont English 120 instructor Micah Jendian gave some quick and easy tips to help students get motivated for the semester:

Maximize EVERY learning opportunity (and virtually everything in school and out of school provides us an opportunity to learn and grow).

Set yourself for success. Be realistic about what you have on your plate; don’t let overcommitments outside of school lead to an under-commitment to your learning.

A game against Victor Valley was all Grossmont’s baseball team needed to make itself presentable for all of the county to watch. Coming out with a 7-4 victory on Jan. 31, Grossmont showed how well it could perform offensively by hitting the ball effectively.

Second baseman Tanner Perry showcased his abilities, going 4-5 with two doubles and two singles in a win against Victor Valley. Other players contributed and showcased a stellar performance as well. Center fielder Keith Kruger went 2-4 with two singles and two fly-outs, and first baseman Georges Garcia had a game for himself with a 2-4 hitting performance.

After the game, head coach Randy Abshier discussed his roster and how he feels about this upcoming season. “Our lineup is potent, though, it is a learning process,” Abshier said.

Grossmont Baseball Pitcher Shawn Walker Photo by: Elias Totah

Of the 30 players on the team, 22 are freshmen. “Youth” is definitely a key word that comes to mind. Abshier feels that going young and starting fresh is the route to go. Six seniors went on to play at four-year universities, but Abshier still feels confident in his group of guys to win. He was very excited to talk about his team, and individual players as well, especially the stellar performance of second baseman Tanner Perry. He has great athletic ability to put the ball in play and he has great ball placement. With Perry’s ability to hit the ball effectively, Grossmont can contend for a league title— if Perry consistently hits the ball the way he did against Victor Valley.

What really stood out was the way the pitching staff performed. Abshier rotated through four pitchers throughout the game. To start, right-hander Shawn Walker pitched well through five innings, and the bullpen performance did its job as well. Grossmont allowed four runs on 11 hits, which is exceptional.

Freshman outfielder D.J. Lewis was excited about the team’s performance: “We kept our foot on the gas pedal and never let up.”

Abshier agreed. “With a great mixture of pitching and hitting, the sky’s the limit for what this team can accomplish this season,” he said.

The highly anticipated book-turned-movie “Fifty Shades of Grey,” starring Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dornan as the ever-so intriguing Christian Grey, came out on Valentine’s Day weekend. Fans of this book have been waiting for this movie for quite some time, considering the book came out in 2011. Finally the wait is over, and Christian can seduce all of us through the big screen as well.

The book follows Anastasia Steele, an inexperienced literature student who gets entangled in the web of Christian Grey, who is a very charming, very beautiful, very erotic man. Anastasia cannot help but become quickly seduced by Christian when she interviews him for the school newspaper, and Christian also becomes quickly enthralled with this mysterious girl. But, like most men, Christian comes with baggage, a mysterious past and a very strange fetish for BDSM. Most logical women who aren’t trapped by Christian’s looks and success would run for the hills, and fast, but Anastasia doesn’t. She agrees to become his sex slave, even though she knows deep down nothing good can come of it.

The book gets very sexual, and very fast. The very first sex scene came within the first 10 chapters. Although captivating, it was too erotic for my—and plenty of others’—tastes. As many fans may know, the ever-so-famous tampon scene between Christian and Anastasia has been cut out of the movie. In an interview with Variety, Director Sam Taylor-Johnson said it “was never even discussed as being a part of the movie and was never going to be shot.”

The movie was supposed to have both an NC-17 (no one under 18 allowed even with an adult) version and a R-rated (no one under 17 allowed without an adult) version was supposed to be released as well, but because of budget issues, that idea was quickly thrown out the window. The final rating from the MPAA is R-rated for “strong sexual content, including unusual behavior, dialogue and graphic nudity and language.” The number-one thing people are most concerned about is just how sexual the movie actually is. It’s estimated that the movie has 20 total minutes of sex scenes, which is about a fifth of the movie.

50 Shades Promotional Movie PosterCourtesy of: www.imdb.com/

When it came down to it, the movie was pretty horrible. The acting was subpar, and there was close to no chemistry between Anastasia and Christian. The sex scenes were awkward to watch; the director did an amazing job at portraying Christian as someone he totally is not in the book, and emphasizing Anastasia’s awkwardness. Throughout the entire movie, Christian said several things he never would have said in the book, and although he did say, “I’m fifty shades of f-ed up” in the book, the placement of this part in the movie had more people snickering than actually feeling sorry for him.

Viewers don’t really get the chance to hear Christian’s back story on why he is the way he is because the movie is primarily focused on Anastasia, so it makes it seem like Christian is just this horrible guy and Anastasia is just this dumb girl who is in complete lust. Grossmont student, Alyssa Hynic said: “I don’t want to watch it because it got horrible reviews, and it sort of supports sexual abuse.”

The sex scenes throughout the movie were short enough to the point where it didn’t seem like viewers were watching a porno, so it definitely shouldn’t be considered erotica. On the other hand, the few scenes in which Christian is “punishing” Anastasia were really hard to watch for some viewers. There were definitely a few people cringing at the idea of being punished at the hands of Christian Grey.

Critics of the book’s main problem was that “Fifty Shades of Grey” was on the verge of being very abusive, and didn’t show off a healthy sexual relationship between two people. Christian made Anastasia, and all the other women he had relations with, sign an agreement between the two stating in full detail what was expected of both parties—not limited to bondage, whippings, and making sure that Christian was referred to as either, “Mr. Grey” or “Sir.” The movie did a good job of keeping the sex scenes, although plentiful, pretty short.

The audience sees Anastasia’s full body naked, but not Christian’s—just his butt and his abs, but never his frontal area. The book itself didn’t show off a healthy relationship between two people, but seeing it first hand on the big screen definitely added to that notion. Grossmont student Ranier Martinez said: “I wouldn’t have even watched the movie if I didn’t read the books, it (the book) was such a let down.”

Overall, the book was okay, and the movie was not. Critics on IMDb.com gave it four out of 10 stars, which is totally justifiable. The only good thing about the movie was the soundtrack and Jamie Dornan. The only good thing about the book was the cute relationship between Anastasia and her best friend Kate. More people are probably watching the movie because they read the books and are curious. Either way, people are still watching it, even with the horrible reviews. According to theguardian.com, “Fifty Shades of Grey” has surpassed “Avatar” with $248 million just on its opening weekend.

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For most who do not know what “adjunct” means, it’s “a thing added to something else as a supplementary, rather than an essential part,” according to Merriam-Webster. At many colleges, including, many teachers from Grossmont, City and Mesa Colleges are referred to as “adjuncts.” However, many take issue with the idea of adjunct faculty being “unessential.” In reality, many colleges rely heavily on adjunct faculty.

In education, an “adjunct professor” is considered an instructor who is not yet full-time faculty, so he or she takes on any classes from their choice of study, be it math, English, foreign languages, etc. at different schools–kind of like a substitute teacher, but for the entire semester. Because they do not have full-time positions, or the benefits that go with them, many adjunct professors work at multiple schools, adding up to the equivalent of several part-time jobs.

It can be a tough road, and this month, many adjuncts want to bring that issue to light across the nation through National Adjunct Day. Held Feb. 25, the protest is hosted by labor groups.

The idea was proposed via social media by a San Jose University adjunct professor, who wanted to have a day where adjunct faculty walk out to grab the colleges’ attentions and increase their support.

At Grossmont, tables will be set up to talk from Feb. 23-25 about the money that needs to be put into the California state budget towards adjunct needs. They will have letters, stamps and envelopes for students to send to the governor and other important figures in Sacramento.

The rallies will begin the day of the walkout in the main centers of the schools; the Grossmont rally will be held at 2 p.m. in front of the LRTC. Hosts have strongly encouraged other professors to bring their classes, saying it will be a great learning experience to let students know what is really going on in their campuses.

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Every individual person throughout the holiday season is receiving different gifts. Not everyone wants the same gift as someone else. Every store has different items and throughout this gift guide there are some must go to stores and as well tips for you to minimize the time and be productive. Different ages have different gifts. To determine the right gift for each individual person there are many stores to go to.

Ages 0 to 5

Children who are under the age of one are easier to shop for because they don’t complain if they don’t get the gift they wanted. Stores that have a different variety between newborns and 2-year-olds are Babies “R” Us, P.S. from Aeropostale and also Toys “R” Us. These gifts would include toys such as a Shape sorter toy which gives your newborn or one year old to be able to see shapes and work on hand eye coordination. A push toy or stroller is good to because it helps your child to walk. Many children want toys that can be hands on. Be aware that some toys might be dangerous for the children that are under a certain age. Stores that can be helpful for this particular age group are Walmart, Toys “R” Us, Crazy Eight, Build-a-Bear Workshop and a lot more. There is more of variety of toys that you can get your child now that your child is getting older. To dolls, toy sets and kid game consoles, there is much more you can get when they reach the age of five. Janet Wilson a student at Grossmont College sops at GameStop, Walmart and Macy’s. Janet said,” I mostly buy video games and gift cards.”

Ages 6 to 10

The stores that offer the best option for children during this age are Target, GameStop and Burlington. During this age children want bicycles, scooters and more electronic things. They like to be more active but at the same time be on the couch playing video games with friends.

There is so much more of a variety you can get because they’re getting older.

Ages 11 to 14

This is the age that kids start becoming really picky about what they want for Christmas and this is the time where you can pretty much go anywhere depending on what they want. Electronics start becoming more of a thing to buy, since at this age, kids start becoming teenagers who start to want phones.

Ages 15 to 18

Many teens go to high school. Purchasing gifts for students that are still attending high school is going to the mall, not only is there variety of stores but also deals. Every season there are different styles and products to get a teenager because for most being a teenager means being trendy and buying lots of clothes. This is also the age where electronics and video games are dominantly bought from stores such as Best Buy, Frys, Apple and many more.

Ages 18+

When you’re getting a gift for an adult it’s pretty tough because most adults are really picky of what you get them, unless it’s really specific. Most returns are made by adults because they didn’t like their gift so students can always go and purchase gift cards. Even though they may seem impersonal, there easy to purchase as well as easy to gift wrap. Every store has the option of purchasing gift cards. Don’t be discouraged if the last resort may be only purchasing a gift card. The older the person, the harder it is to determine what type of gift is best. To Starbucks, Macy’s or even Target. When purchasing clothing for people that are older than Eighteen don’t forget to take into consideration their own clothing styles and size. Rebecca Pena a student at Grossmont College likes to shop online instead of shopping in stores, and mostly shops at Victoria’s Secret and Target.

Helpful Tips

Many stores like Macy’s offer to wrap up any gifts you may bought, but it’s not cheap, but depends on the size of the gift. If the gift wrapping at Macy’s is not an option, students can always go to buy the roll of wrapping paper and tape to save money. The closer to the holidays the more possibility that stores might run out of certain items. The best way to ensure that doesn’t happen, students can call stores and place a hold on certain items. If you’re all about saving a penny, the holiday season always has deals and coupons. If possible collect as many magazines and newspapers for each individual store.

Parking can always be hassle, so parking close to stores may not always be the best option. Remember Grossmont Griffins, many people are also in a rush to purchase. Time is valuable, so plan ahead.

Whether we realize it or not, water is root of our everyday lives. We drink it, we bathe in it, we wash our cars in it and it controls our climate. It’s a blessing to have clean water at our fingertips considering many people in third-world countries don’t have the same luxury. According to water.org, more than 3.4 million people die each year from a water-related disease— “almost enough to fill the whole city of Los Angeles.”

While we have access to clean tap water, many people prefer to drink bottled water. In fact, Americans drink through about 50 billion bottles of water a year, even though it costs 2,000-times more than tap water, according to Business Insider. Many people—including some students in The Summit—say they refuse to drink tap water because of the taste. After conversations prompted by the school’s ongoing water project, we decided to conduct our own “water tasting” experiment.

The staff blindly tested five different waters: Voss, Fuji, Smart Water, Sierra Springs and, last but not least, tap. The overall opinion of our staff was that artisan waters like Voss and Smart Water were the best tasting, while Sierra Springs—a local spring water company—tasted the worst. Because it did, most of the staff guessed it was the tap water, showing our initial assumptions.

Our informal experiment did not really change anyone’s opinion of bottled versus tap water, but it did make us realize just how many water choices Americans have.

With Christmas right around the corner, the holiday festivities are already kicking into full gear. If you’re looking for something to do, grab your friends and loved ones and go ice-skating. Here are my top three places to go ice-skating in San Diego.

UTC Ice Sports Center

This La Jolla rink is convenient for getting shopping on the same trip.

Located below the food court, UTC’s large ice rink is open year round. Prices are $12 for general admission, and $3 to rent ice skates. It’s open every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., except on Sundays, when the rink closes at 7 p.m. For more information, visit utcice.com.

Horton Plaza

Right in the heart of downtown San Diego, this rink has a nice open environment with pretty views. Only available during the holiday season, Sycaun’s Fantasy on Ice is open from Nov. 20 through Jan. 4. Prices are $14 for adult general admission, $12 for children and $40 for an all-access seasonal pass. It’s open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., but closed for a half hour from 7:30 to 8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It’s also closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas day. For more details, visit sdice.com/horton.

Joan Kroc Center

Located in La Mesa, this is a nice local ice rink, open year round. This site has a low $10 admission, including skate rental. It also has weekly specials like: $5 Wednesday Night Skating, $7 After School Skating, $7 Sundays and a $7 Group Rate. It’s open at various hours on Monday, Wednesdays and Friday. Also, on Dec. 17 students can donate an unwrapped toy at the toy drive and skate for free! For more info, visit kroccenter.org/ice-arena.

So keep these ice rinks in mind when searching for something fun to do, and have a fun, safe holiday season, Grossmont Griffins.

On Nov. 14, Grossmont College’s Dance Department had its high school dance outreach day here on campus. There were a total of eight high schools and more than 260 students that participated in a variety of different workshops with dance genres like hip hop, ballet, creative improvisation, jazz, musical theatre, salsa, Pilates, swing and modern. All the workshops were taught by Grossmont College dance instructors, and some were even taught by Kathy Meyer, the dance department chair. Students could also watch a couple performances of the most recent dance concert “Breaking Boundaries,” which is a student-choreographed dance concert held last month.

Two students from Ramona High School – senior Leanne Foster and junior Montana Pettit – said they took multiple classes that day and really enjoyed it.

“I liked it so much that I would consider going here,” Foster said.

Schools all over San Diego County joined Grossmont College including: San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts, Grossmont High School, Valhalla High School, Monte Vista High School, San Pasqual High School, Ramona High School, Steele Canyon High School and Helix Charter High School.

The Griffins look to show off their skills as the team hosts the 43rd annual Grossmont College Men’s Basketball Tournament from Dec. 5 to 7. The Griffins’ first game will be held on Dec. 5 against Cypress College, located in North Orange County, on Friday at 6 p.m. Look to see the Griffins trying to make a name for themselves as this tournament kicks off.

Be sure to keep an eye on the way Grossmont likes to run their offense and play as a whole. With the players’ size and height, there is no question that the team can beat Cypress, which finished the 2013-14 season with a 7-20 record. They finished 2-10 in their conference and had a better road record than home record. Usually it is a bad sign when a team has a better road record than away record because it shows that they let any team come into their building and rough them up. That is not the mentality teams should have.

Cypress’ home record was 1-11, while their road record was 4-6. Cypress is known to be an inconsistent team. You never know how they can come out and play in this tournament, but if Grossmont takes care of business early in the game, there should not be a problem coming out with a victory to start the tournament. If Grossmont can beat Cypress, they will be moving on in the tournament and head to the semifinal game.

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Winter break brings a little free time around– so instead of watching reruns or old movies, why not pick up a book?

As one of the writers for The Summit, I have a side to me that enjoys reading. I was never the one in high school that fell in love with reading, but I like books about things that interest me, like sports, autobiographies and biographies. I just got done reading “Eleven Rings,” an autobiography on Hall-of-Fame head coach Phil Jackson, who coached the NBA-champion Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. Actually, I have read this book three times. What really draws me in are Jackson’s details on his coaching style and his techniques that helped him throughout his career. As Phil Jackson says, “Basketball is a great mystery”—so it’s nice to have some of those answers revealed.

Sports-based stories are not all I read. Since I was young, I have enjoyed stories on famous icons and figures such as Malcolm X. Anything that I feel is interesting, I am definitely reading.

Here are my top five books that I have read:

“Eleven Rings” by Phil Jackson: I love the way Phil Jackson explains the adversity players face from an emotional and physical standpoint.

“The Jordan Rules” by Sam Smith: Sam Smith explains how the great Michael Jordan was “strictly business” during his tenure as an NBA player.

“Money Players” by Armen Keteyian: This book takes you behind the scenes of how the NBA has transformed into a complete moneymaker.

“Last Shot” by John Feinstein: This story is about two young reporters who try to blackmail a star athlete.

“Dreams from my Father” by Barack Obama: Takes you inside the life of President Obama and shows you what it took for him to get to his level of success.

Everyone has different tastes in reading, so in case these suggestions aren’t for you, the rest of the newspaper staff has a few suggestions.

Sheridan Martinez: My book recommendation is “Go Ask Alice” by Beatrice Sparks, who writes under the name “Anonymous.” It’s a diary of a 14-year old drug-addicted teenager who shares her stories and travels through her diary. It’s an interesting novel with good plot; the sequel is called “Lucy in the Sky.” I like these books because they are realistic fiction, so they’re more exciting.

Dorion Billingslea: My book selection would be “The Fault In our Stars” by John Green. Even though the movie just came out and it was really good, but the book was kind of better because it was more descriptive. It gave me lots of laughs, but also broke my heart. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read romantic-comedy, and I also recommend you read the book before watching the movie.

Ruby Marquez: “Thirteen Reasons Why” is a book about a young girl named Hannah who decides to end her life. She records 13 audiocassettes and makes people listen to them and pass them around. It’s an emotional and heart-breaking book about the dangers of bullying.

Dylan Pheifer: “A Collected Works of Langston Hughes,” is a collection of poetry from the Harlem Renaissance writer. Hughes challenged the ideas of racial social acceptance and self-identity, despite the controversy of the subject matter. He was known for speaking truth to power, and many of his poems are still reiterated in speeches by civil leaders and politicians today.